Where Ideas Come from and how Creativity can Improve our Wellbeing: Our links of the Month

For this months edition we found some articles in the world wide web, about creativity and the ability of learning with, and from it.

Starting with the youngest age, read an article the Guardian has published about children’s “natural creativity and curiosity” and how it is being destroyed by our so called modern school systems. “In the future, if you want a job, you must be as unlike a machine as possible: creative, critical and socially skilled. So why are children being taught to behave like machines?” The full article is written by George Monbiot.

The next unit takes a closer look on artists and their pressure to create an own handwriting at a very young age. “These days the pressure is on young artists to come up with a singular look while they are still in college.” But we believe, that creativity cannot be something that ends at a certain age or can be forced on someone. We never stop learning. Laura Cummings article “The Seven Ages of an Artist” again was published by the Guardian.

The Atlantic did an animated video we want to share with you on the flow of creativity. Based on the words of filmmaker David Lynch, this animation gives a possible answer to the question of “Where great ideas come from?”. Watch the short movie by Jackie Lay, Katherine Wells and Jennie Rothenberg Gritz.

Talking about animations, Pixar is now offering free online lessons in storytelling in partnership with online education provider Khan Academy. “The first lesson is available now, and will provide an introduction to storytelling as well as help you hone your initial creation of things like setting and character. The lessons include both videos and activities for students to complete, and provides a general basis on which to build.” The full article is written by Darrell Etherington and published by TechCrunch. Go on and access your first lesson.

Last but certainly not least we want to follow up on the topic of the influence of creativity and how it can not only help us learning and creating, but even improve our wellbeing. Once again the Guardian published a piece on the initiative, of the Springfield University hospital in London, to integrate donated art pieces into their building. “Will, a resident on the Phoenix ward, who is in his 20s and a keen artist himself, says of his new environment: “I like everything about it. It makes me feel good. It’s calmed the place down and the colours are more cool. It was a privilege to work with such talented people.””

Beneath the Waves

Photo credit: Alexa Sirbu. The artist’s work was inspired by jellyfish.